The present invention relates a method of operating a rotary engine.
Rotary engines are known of several differing constructions. One type of rotary engine provides a casing having a non-right cylinder chamber therein, with a rotor rotating in the chamber and having a plurality of radially extending vanes, the vanes being free to move radially inwardly and outwardly as they rotate with the rotor. Due to the configuration of the peripheral wall of the chamber, the spaces within the chamber which are defined by a pair of vanes, the exterior rotor surface, and the interior wall of the casing or housing, are enlarged or contracted, as the rotor rotates. This is known to provide compression and then expansion, so that fuel may be introduced into the chamber, first for compression, then ignition, and followed by expansion and exhaust from the chamber.
In another form of rotary engine, rotors were provided of trochoidal shape, with the chambers also being of trochoidal shape, the rotors moving in a planatary manner and forming pistons having rolling contact with the peripheral wall of the trochoidal chambers. These latter types of rotary engines were sometimes suggested as having a somewhat more complex form than that of a single rotor in a single chamber.
Thus, a known rotary engine of the trochoidal type provided a pair of chambers substantially coaxial, and each providing a substantially complete engine. In addition, there was a generally axially extending conduit that served to connect the two chambers, but communication between the two separate engines was prevented by a piston which was caused to move back and forth into the conduit by an unbalanced pressure on one side or the other. In another configuration of this same type, the first rotor and chamber served as a compressor which was driven by the engine shaft of the second rotor and chamber, for introducing compressed air into the chamber of the second rotor, in which it was burned and then exhausted.
In another complex arrangement of a trochoidal type rotary engine, dual chambers were provided, with rotors in each chamber, and with the axes of the rotors in spaced, parallel relationship, rather than being in substantially coaxial relationship as in the type hereinabove noted. In such engines, a fuel-air mixture was introduced into one chamber, where it was compressed and ignited, and then ignited gas mixture was discharged from the first chamber and introduced into the second chamber, where it served to drive the rotor in the second chamber, after which the ignited gases, having been expanded, were exhausted.
The rotary engines with radially movable vanes in the rotor are of relatively simple construction, and are easy to make, and while they are simple in operation, they are not as efficient as is desired. On the other hand, the trochoidal type rotary engines are more complex, requiring carefully machined surfaces of the rotor and chamber and only in those embodiments in which the shafts are in parallel, spaced relationship have there been the more effective operation in which the power stroke and exhaust is in a chamber separate from the intake, compression and ignition functions. In those embodiments in which a pair of trochoidal chambers are placed in substantially coaxial alignment, there has not been the noted separation of functions, but only the utilization of this structure for either separate engines, or for a pre-compression operation, but not the noted efficient separation of functions or cycles as noted.